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View Full Version : Life, Erf and Everything



Pronounceable
2009-04-24, 05:53 AM
People in Erf are first and foremost units with stats, at least those we've seen. (I remember Parson may have alluded to noncombatants in a klog but we haven't seen anything like that). But they're also living beings. They eat, sleep and crap. They also have sex but with no babies I have no idea why (OK, I have one idea).

I'm wondering about other itty bitty details of life and whether they apply to Erfians. Questions galore.

Starting with hair (and haircuts by extension). We've seen Wanda and Jillian change their hairstyles, but do their hair grow? If they were to cut it short (or even shave for some reason) would it grow back? And at what rate? Or is hair subject to some Erfian laws that allow units to change it at will, especially for dancefighting and such?

Another such matter is beard. Do male units have to shave? We haven't seen someone with different beards, are they able to grow/change/shave their beard? Is there some default outlook for each unit that they revert back to?

It might just like be children issue, what we assume to be happening offscreen turns out not to be happening at all. Do Erf units brush teeth, cut nails, catch cold, have allergies, put on weight, and other million things that come along with life?

Also, units pop as adults with fully formed personalities. Can time and events affect a personality that never evolved? If answer is no, something like this might explain Ansom's insufferability. But this is a somewhat philosophical point...

What's the answer, oh Titans of Erf? Just how "alive" are the Erfians? The suspense is killing us! (or maybe not, but it's still interesting)

Also, do whatever rules govern these things in Erf apply to Parson? Eg: Has Parson shaved since he came?


And one more itty bitty thing that happens to us humans that I think should be asked seperately: Do Erfworld units grow old and die? I have a feeling they don't, which brings up even more interesting points. How can we (or they themselves) tell how old an Erfian is, and is it of any importance in the first place?

Another cheery point: Wouldn't a unit lucky/powerful enough that it doesn't get killed be living in a nightmare of constant battles that'll never end? A redshirt Erfian unit's life is 40Kishly bleak already, add immortality on it and remember existence of loyalty stat, then a unit not rebelling after some time is miraculous. And if we assume duty prevents outright rebelling, only way out would be death.

DevilDan
2009-04-24, 11:20 AM
We know that showers or baths are not needed as there an automatic anti-Second Law of Thermodynamics system that kicks in at the start of each new day. I would imagine that this extends to other grooming needs.

But will a unit on its own, who can't afford his or her upkeep, start to not only starve, but to die in a steady progression? Will his clothes start to fall apart from use, will his weapons grow dull, will his hair get shaggier? Grim scenario, but not too different from Earth.

Dahan
2009-05-08, 11:07 PM
I think that things like shaving and brushing your teeth are lumped in with the cleaning that happens at the start of your turn. If someone chooses to change their appearance, it doesn't appear to be that difficult. A beard would probably appear shortly after someone choose to grow one.

As for personality, I think we've already seen some changes already from a variety of effects. Wanda and Jack were temporarily affected by a broken mental spell. Sizemore did respond to the events around him and the words of Parson and the hippymancer. And of course, Anson has changed since being decrypted. The most meaningful part though is only happening recently, as Parson comes to terms of what those strategy games he loved truly symbolizes.

As for age... I don't think most units last long enough for that to become an issue. Every day is a turn in a turn-based wargame set in a backdrop of constant warfare. Ten years is 3652 turns, which is practically an eternity in most games on which Erfworld is based.

But you may be right in that there are some rebels. But there aren't many ways in which to rebel. The rules of the world are well established and supported by natural magic. But we've already met one rebellous character in the story: the Grand Abby in the Magic Kingdom.

A. Hamster
2009-05-11, 07:03 PM
As for age... I don't think most units last long enough for that to become an issue. Every day is a turn in a turn-based wargame set in a backdrop of constant warfare. Ten years is 3652 turns, which is practically an eternity in most games on which Erfworld is based. 3652 turns! Yeesh, I've never played that many turns in any TBS game! Heck, a game like Civ will end about about turn 500 if you haven't won by some other means by that point.

Still, I don't think Erfworlders would age. If the game mechanics parallel holds, it is occasionally possible for a single unit to survive until game's end. In Civ IV, sometimes my original starting Warrior will still be with me, if highly promoted and upgraded by that point. He started as a man in a loincloth with a club. When the victory movie plays, he's Mechanized Infantry and about 6000 years old. (That's always struck me as odd in these sorts of games, as well as the fact that you, the civilization's leader is godlike and immortal, but it is part of how these games work.)

Xondoure
2009-05-12, 12:51 AM
We know parson used the bathroom, and he has said himself that he is the only person that gets tired by walking. So Parson is still safe from erfworlds laws. (I think)

Moechi_Vill
2009-05-12, 02:39 AM
It's a perfectly real world with strictly and conveniently enforced laws of physics that takes care of its people.

The_JJ
2009-05-12, 08:08 AM
Intresting and totally tangental diversion...

Awhile back, just after having arrived at Gobwin Knob someone mentioned "Turn at dawn... no Charlescomm or Translvito in the battlespace." Not only that, earlier in the war the turns went morning, Gobwin Knob, afternoon, Coalition. What about all of the other factions? They didn't get a turn... until they entered the fight.
Add the previously unseen dwagon popping...

I theorize a Age of Wonders/Total War/whatever other games I haven't played wherein there are multiple strategic layers, going from top down grand strategy to the bloody hex to hex combat.

Moechi_Vill
2009-05-12, 08:57 AM
That is the understanding yes.

Age of Wonders is highly similar to it's main source of homage - warlords.